Ignition furnace for sintering machines



M. F. MORGAN j 2,402,339

IGNITION FURNACE FOR SINTERING MACHINES n f 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4June 18, 1946.

' Filed March 51; 194s g or awe/V522 B1/.iii Y Y A rolP/vsys Jne 18, 1946. M, F MORGAN 1 2,402,339

IGNITION FURNACE FOR SINTERING MACHINES Filed March 51, 1945 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

I Y y INVENTOR. Y

NIL 70N NEAN A TTQNEYS June 18, 1946. M. F. MORGAN n 2,402,339

v Y IGNITION FURNACE FOR SINTERING MACHINES Filed March 3,1, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet r"5 Arrow/v5@ l Patented June 18, 1946 Fleer' 2,402,339 IGNITION FURNACE Foltsm'rEmNG MACHINES Milton F. MorgarnShaker HeightsfOhio, assigner to Republic Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 31, 1943, serial, No. 481,232'

14 claims. (ci. zas-10)' 1 This' invention relates generallyv to sintering machines and particularly to a new and improved ignition furnace for such machines.'

Prior ignition furnaces of sintering machines. with which I am familiar, have consisted of hoodlike structures suspended from overhead supports above a row of moving pallets filled with fuel and material to be sintered. These hoods were open at the bottom and had refractory-lined end and roof walls which defined a combustion chamber extending across, and for a short distance longitudinally of, the line of pallet travel. Fuel was delivered to the interior of the hood through one or both ends of the 'top of the hood and the fuel was burned within the hood above the pallets.'

These prior furnaces possessed a number of important and practical disadvantages. Since each furnace or hood carried the burners, any

disadvantages, as ,well

Cleveland, Ohio,

2 y as others, Awhich are obvious but need not be mentioned, and possesses new advantages not possessed by the prior, devices. Ihe present invention provides a furnace for a sintering machine in which the burners can be adjusted independently ofthe furnace roof, in which the linings may be repaired or replaced without interrupting the operation of the adjustment of the hood relative to the pallets resulted in a corresponding movement of the burners; that is, the hood and. burners could not be independently adjusted with respect to the material on the pallets. pressure could be compensated for only by moving the hood and with low fuel pressure it might not be possible to lower the hood far enough,`

because of interference with the pallets, to obtain the desired intensity of flame on the material on the pallets.

Another practical disadvantage was that the space which always existed between the lower edge of the hood and the top surface of the pallets and material thereon permitted the flames .to pass out therethrough and permitted air to blow across the pallet tops. When either condition existed, the result was unequal ignition of the material on the pallets and such inequality might. and vusually did, vary from pallet to pallet and in various parts of any one pallet.

The extent of the hood longitudinally of the l pallet travel was restricted by the overhead support and the extent and -nature of the ignition naturally varied with the longitudinal dimension of the hood.

Other important disadvantages were traceable to the facts that the entire hood was suspended from an overhead support which required hoists. cables and the like which were subjected to the high temperatures above the hood: and when the refractory lining of a hood was to be repaired or replaced the entire hood had to be removed and either replaced with another similar hood or the operation of the machine had to be interrupted during such repair.

sintering machine or substitution of an entire new furnace, in which the longitudinal extent of n the furnace may be as great as desired, and in which' any defined character of ignition of the pallet charge maybe secured and maintained.

-Brieily described, one form of such a furnace comprises a stable frame, separate roof sections adiustably supported thereon, opposite side walls -not connected to the roof, adjustably supported on the frame and extendlngfrom below the top of the pallets to above the top of the space between the roof, pallets and burners carried by said side walls to direct flames at different angles onto a charge on the pallets.

'I'hus,variations in fuel.

In the drawingsaccompanying and forming, a part of this specification l f Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a sintering machine furnace embodying the preferred presentinvention. v v l Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectionalview taken on form of the line 2-2 of Fig. l showing certain parts in elevation. l

Fig. 3 is aview partly in in section. taken on line I-l of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line I-i of Fig. 1 showing a gas burner in place.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the roof sections shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the furnace of Figs. 1 to 3 equipped with oil burners and showing the arrangement of piping associated with such burners, and

Fig. 7. is a side elevational view of the pipingl arrangement for the furnace when equipped with gas burners such as are shown in Fig. 4.

'I'he preferred form of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1 to 3, in connection with a sinteringmachine which has a track consisting of a pair of railsi and a row of pallets 2 provided with wheels 3 to run on rails i The furnace frame comprises four vertical uprghts 4 located in pairs just outside of the track l on any suitable foundation 5. Each pair of uprights is secured together by a horizontal beam 6 extending parallel to the trackand the opposed uprights and beams 6 are connected to each other The present invention avoids all the foregoing by beams 1 which extend transversely of the elevation and parti track. Brackets 8 extend inwardly from each upright 4. Thus the four uprights, the two side beams 6 and the two cross beams 1 constitute a frame which surrounds the track and pallets on three sides and rests on a firm foundation.

The furnace walls comprise opposite walls and a roof. Each side wall 9 comprises a rectangular metal frame I0, an outer metal side wall II` a refractory lining I2 provided with three openings I3, burners A, B and C, and tuyres for each opening, each consisting of a metal shell I4 which may be secured as by bolts I5 to metal member I I and within which there is a refractory lining I 6 having an enlarged flaring opening therethrough for fuel to be directed into the combustion chamber of the furnace from burner I1. The tuyres are so mounted that the burners A, B and C will direct fuel and flame horizontally and at angles of about 'l1/2 and about 15 below the horizontal, respectively. In Fig. 4 the tuyre of burner C is shown but it will be understood that the tuyres for burners A and B are similar, differing therefrom only in such respects as will make possible the mounting of them at the angles just mentioned. Each burner'I1 is supported by an arm I8 attached to the side wall 8.

As is indicated on Figs. 2 and 3, the burners, A, which the moving pallets first pass, that is, the burners at the front of the furnace, are preferably adjusted to discharge fuel along `a substantial horizontal plane. The middle burners, B, in each side wall are preferably adjusted to direct the fuel downwardly below and at small angles to the horizontal plane of thefirst burner and the last burners, C, passed by the pallets, that is, the rear burners in the furnace, are preferably adjusted to direct fuel downwardly below and at larger angles to that horizontal plane. Angles of about 'I1/2 and about 15 have been found to be satisfactory for burners B and C respectively.

It will be noted that each side wall 9 is' disposed vertically above one of the rails I of the pallet track, that its inner surface is parallel, and close, to the side edge of the row of pallets and that the lower edge of the side wall is below the top surface of the pallets. Each side wall` 9 is preferably rectangular in side elevation and its vertical position may be adjusted by shims 20 of various thicknesses interposed between brackets 8 and the frame I0. The frame III on the top of side wall 9 is provided with upwardly extending ilanges 2| which are attached to cross beam G as by bolts 22 projecting through elongated slots 23 in the flanges. Thus each side wall is adjustable vertically and is secured against displacement in the just described attachment to the cross member 6 of the framework previ; ously described.

The roof of the furnace herein illustrated preferably consists of a plurality of similar sections 25, one of which is better illustrated in Fig. 5. Each of these sections consists of a pair of. parallel beams 26, an arcuate shell 21, metal plates 28 and 29 extending between and secured to the beams 26 and the shell 21, and a refractory lining 3U for the lower concave surface of shell 21. The beams 26 extend, at each end, beyond the vertical projection of the ends of plates 28 and shell 21 and rest on cross beams 1 of the structural frame, as is better illustrated in Figs. l and 2. The position of the roof sect-ions relative to the pallets may be varied by imposing shims 3| of different thicknesses between beams lof the frame and beams 26 of the roof sections.

Pipes 32 (Fig. 2) supported by side walls 9 may be used to carry cooling fluid such as water thereby to cool the aft edge of the roof and protect it against the heat of the flames in the furnace.

It will be noted from Figs. 2, 3 and 5 that the roof is concave longitudinally of the pallet track and that its fore and aft edges D and E are close to the top surface of the pallets. It will also be noted that because of the curvature of the roof there is provided a combustion chamber of fairly largedmensions lengthwise of the pallet track and vertically above the pallets. The rectangular walls permit considerable vertical adjustment Aof the roof while still maintaining the combustion chamber substantially close at its ends, that is, adjacent tc the side walls.

When the roof is positioned between the side walls the sections are close to each other and to the side walls and when the fore and aft edges of the roof are close to the top surfaces of the pallets the roof, side walls and pallets define a substantially closed combustion chamber, that is, one which does not have openings for the free passage of streams of air directly between `the furnace and the material on the pallets; that since the side walls extend up from below the top of the palletsy aircannot blow across the pallets in the furnace; and that the fuel which is projected into the combustion chamber and the flames resulting from the combustion of the fuel are efficiently applied to the material tobe sintered which is on the pallets and is not dissipated and lost by escape through the spaces which have existed in prior installations between the pallets and burner hood.

An important advantage of this invention is traceable to the fact that the roof of the furnace is made in similar sections. One of these sections may be removed readily and replaced by another section whenever the refractory lining needs repair or replacement. Since the roof sections are supported against dislodgment bythe structural frame they are stable and do not require any overhead suspending means such as has been common heretofore.

The adjustability of the burners as previously described is quite advantageous because it enables the machine operator to obtain equality of ignition throughout the material on any one pallet and to vary the places and degrees of ignition dependent on the nature of the material on the pallets. By reason of this adjustability the ignition may be made substantially uniform throughout all the material on any given pallet or varied as the needs demand.

In Fig. 6 is shown a piping arrangement for a sintering machine furnace which embodies the present invention and in-which oil is the fuel used. The oil line 4o passes through a diaphragm valve 4I which regulates the amount of oil flow in proportion to the pressure of air in the main air line 43, and small pipe 44 leading from line 43 through the valve 4I. As the pressure of air in pipe 43 increases the air pressure in line 44 opens the oil Valve permitting more oil to pass through, and as the air pressurel in pipe 43 decreases the corresponding pressure in line 44 decreases the amount of oil which passes through valve 4I. Air from a suitable course, such as a compressor (not shown) is delivered into the ma in pipe 45 and thence flows through pipe 4I to branch pipes 48 leading respectively to burners A, B and C where the air is discharged around the atomized oil air mixture delivered longitudinally of the tuyre. A branch pipe 41 leads from pipe steal-header," lwhich in turn communi.

cates with branche-pipes Il leading'respectively to burners A. -B and `C and entering the burners Vv adjacent to the point ofentryof the-oil andiny such-a manner Vas to atomize the oil, thisA atom.v

ized mixture being later surrounded byv and mixedv with theair delivered from pipes-4,5; rEach-of pipe lines 46 and I9 `is made adjustable in length by means of Afiller tubes 46a and 49a of differentv lengths which are detachably `secured between collars attached to the opposed sections of the pipes.

'In Fig, 7 is shown\a piping arrangement for va .l gas-fired furnace embodying the present vinvention. The main pipe 50 which is connectedtoa.

source of combustible lgas '(notshown) vextends across the furnaceto the burners on eachside pipes 52.

the rear end of burner tube Il, as shown on Fig. 4; Collars. 53 on tubes I1 may be: adjusted axially scribed are indicated at 54. s

. thereof where header pipes-5I lead intoA branch Each branch ,52 communicateswitn Having thus described the present invention., so that others skilled in the: art may be able to understand and practice the same, :I statethat what I desire to secureby letters Patent is de-` fined in what is claimed. Y p

Whatiis claimed is:

1. A furnace, for a sintering machine having,

a row ofmovable pallets, comprising vertical side walls disposed close tothe opposite sides of said.

row of palletsand extending from belowto well above the `top surface of said pallets, apseparate,A roof disposed between said side walls withlower f edges extending yacross and closelyadjacent to the tops of .the pallets, said roof .and side walls 1 dening a substantially closed combustion cham-v ber space above said pallets, bur-ners securedto said side wallsto project -fuel throughthe latter into said space, and a frame on which/said sidev 'a 2. A'furnace, fora sintering machine having walls and roof rest. v l

arow of movable pallets,..comprising vertical side walls disposed close to the opposite sides of said row of pallets and extending from below to well above the top surface of said pallets, a roof substantially enclosing the space between said side walls and above said pallets, burners secured to said side walls to project fuel through the latter into said space, a frame on which said sidewalls and roof rest, and means for independently adjusting the elevation of said side walls and roof.

3. A furnace, for a sintering machine having a row of movable pallets, comprising vertical side Walls. disposed close to the opposite sides of said row of pallets and extending from below to well above the top surface of said pallets, a roof consisting of separate sections disposed between said side walls with lower edges extending across and closely adjacent to the tops of the palletsI said roof` and side walls defining a substantially closed combustion space above said pallets, burners secured to said side walls to project fuel through the latter into said space, and a frame on which said side walls and roof rest.

4. A furnace, for a'sintering machine having a row of movable pallets, comprising vertical side walls disposed close to the opposite sides of said row of pallets and extending from below to well above the top surface of said pallets, an arcuate shaped, segmental roof disposed between said g ported by said .uprights `adj acentto the sir l said pallets and having openings for the projec; j;

sidewalls with lower. edges extendingv across and closely adjacent i to they topsl of ,the pallets; 'l said roof vandvside, walls-defining a substantially fen! closed combustion chamber'space above. thev pal` ject-fue1;,through thelatter into ,saidspa'ce fa frame on cwhich said side walls'fandrof rest'an dj means for .independentlyadjusting .the eleva-I tion ofsaidside y,walls and roof, ,v

5;- A furnace, toria sintering ,machine if,

tracks'and a rowy of y pallets '1;hereon', comprising a frame including uprights ...onopposite,sides-fof` said vtrackfand cross members ,connectinfgfthl'e np-A j f. 'Sun-1."

rights above said pallets, verticalsidewall lets; burners secured'to saidrside'wallsv vtolpr'otionfof a combustible mixture beneath s aid'roof and transversely. oversaidrow .offpalltsfind a separate roof;` between vsaid' 'sidewalls' .abo

said pallets fandsupporte'dion saidcrossmemb'ers with -lowerl edges yextending..acros s. andf,closely .l

adjacent t0l the vtops of thepalletsff 6.- Ajurnace-,fora sinteringhma'chin avin .,vl tracks-Land arow of palletsthereon, lcomprising a I.

transversely of, said growgof pallets.; endl-,burners suliported 1 by the ,side walls -in valignmentV with of 'said row'f of pallets and having burner ,Open

ings therethru'for; theproi ection of .a *conibusti- .ble mixturebeneathsaidroof and transversely,

frame including uprights lonl y opposite .-fsides'" of i a track and a row of.4 Dalletsvthereon, comlifig a frameincluding uprightson, opposite-sides ofi, r`

:said track vand crossgmembers connevctingzthe, uprights: above said` pallets .vertical -.s.icie-, `wa1,1S supported by said :uprightsadjacent tothe sides, ,Y

overt saidfrow offpallets, and a; separate s ectiona-l j rooff supported on: ,said. c ross^ members :indextending 'from sidewall toasidewallabove,said pallets and having? a lower-,arcuate surface with t fits edges whichextend transversely 0f, the Dal? lets disposed closely adjacent to the top surfaces of the pallets.

8. A furnace, for a sintering machine having a track and a row of pallets thereon, comprising a frame including uprights on opposite sides of said track and cross members connecting the uprights above said pallets, vertical side walls supported by said uprights adjacent to the sides of said row of pallets and having burner openings therethru for the projection of a combustible mixture beneath said roof and transversely over said row of pallets, a sectional roof disposed between and extending from side wall to side wall above said pallets and having a lower arcuate surface with its edges which extend transversely of the pallets disposed closely vadjacent to the top surface of the pallets, and cooling fluid means extending between the side walls and closely adjacent to the aft edge of said roof to protect the said edge from the heat of heated material on pallets leaving the furnace.

.9. A furnace, for a sintering machine having a track and a row yof pallets thereon, comprising a. frame including uprights on opposite sides of said track and fcross members connecting the walls -supported by said frame adjacent to the f' sides of said row of pallets and having burner openings therethru for the projection of a com-I bustible mixture beneath said roof and transversely over said row of pallets, an arcuate roof between said side walls with lower edges extending across and closely adjacent to the tops of said pallets, said roof being supported on said frame, said roof, side walls and pallets including material thereon defining a substantially closed combustion chamber, and a cooling fluid pipe extending between the side walls and closely adjacent to the aft edge of said roof to protect the said edge from the heat of heated material on pallets leaving the furnace.

10. A furnace, for a sintering machine having a track and a row of pallets thereon, comprising a frame including uprights on opposite sides of said track and cross members connecting the uprights above said track, separate vertical side walls supported by said frame adjacent to thesides of said row of pallets, and a separate arcuate roof disposed between said side walls above said pallets with lower edges extending across and closely adjacent to the tops of the pallets and supported on said frame, said roof, side walls and pallets including material thereon deflning a substantially closed combustion' chamber, said side walls having burner openings extending therethrough transversely of said row of pallets and burners supported by the side walls in alignment with said openings.`

1l. A furnace, for a sintering machine having a track and a row of pallets thereon, comprising vertical side walls disposed closely adjacent, to the sides of said pallets, a roof between said side walls and above the pallets, the lower surface of-said roof being concave longitudinally of the row of pallets with its fore and aft edges close to the top surface of a pallet on said tracks, said side walls and roof being separate and independently removable, the concave surface of the roof, the opposed surfaces of the side walls and the top surface of the pallets and material thereon defining a substantially closed combustion chamber, said side walls having burner openings extending therethrough and burners supported on the side walls in alignment with saidopenings.

12. A furnace, for a sintering machine having a pair of rails and a row of pallets movable there-kr on, comprising vertical sidewalls. disposed abovel said rails and with their `lower edges below thef top surface of a pallettherebetween, a roofbe'- tween said side walls and above the pal1ets,the

lower surface of said roof being concave longitudinally of the row of pallets with its fore and aft edges close to the top surface of a pallet therebeneath, said side walls and roof being separate and independently removable, said side walls having burner openings below the lower surface of said roof and the top of said pallets,.

said roof including beams on the top thereof extending longitudinallyof said rails, and means for supporting said side walls and roof including uprights outside of said sidewalls and supporting the latter and cross members connecting the upper ends of the uprights and supporting the ends of said roof beams, the upper ends of the side walls being connected to said cross beams.

l3.= A roof section, for a sintering machine furnace, comprising an arcuate refractory wall having a concave lower surface, a metal shell on the outer convex surface of and supporting said wall, a pair of beams above and extending at each end beyond the vertical projection of said shell, metal plates extending lengthwise of said beams and connected to the under surfaces thereof and to the convex surface of said shell, and other metal plates extending transversely of and connected at their ends to said beams and connected at their lower edges to said convex surface of the s e 14. A roof section, for a sintering machine furnace, comprising an arcuate refractory wall having a concave lower surface, a metal shell on the outer convex surface of and supporting said wall, a pair of beams above and extending at each end beyond the vertical projection of said shell, metal plates extending lengthwise of said beams and connected to the under surface thereof and to the convex surface of said shell, other metal plates extending transversely of and connected at their ends to said beams and. connected at their lower edges to said convex surface of the shell, and a cooling'uid conduit disposed adjacent to and beneath one end of said shell and extending transversely of said beams.

' MILTON F. MORGAN.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,402,339. Junel 1s, 1946. z

MILTON F. MORGAN It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed vspecification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column '4, line 69, for course read scarce; column 5, lines 50 to 52, Strike out a roof substantially enclosing the space between said side Walls and and insert instead a separate roof'cle'sposed between said side walls with lower edges extending across and closely adjacent to the tops of the pallets, said roof and side walls defining a substantially closed combustion chamber space; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of September, A. D. 1946.

LESLIE FRAZER,` Y First Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

